Breech-loading gun.



A Allomey '[N ENTOR 4 SHEETSSHEET 1.

PATENTED APR. 3, 1906.

A. H. RUSSELL.

BRBBGH LOADING GUN.

APPLICATION FILED mm" 22 1905 WITNESSJES QA/T M.

' Wu w PATENTED APR? 3, 1906.

A. H. RUSSELL.

BREEGH LOADING GUN.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 22, 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3,

INVENTOR- WMW' ,/%J Altomey WITNESSES:

M M W PATE'NTED APR. 3. 1906.

v A. H. RUSSELL- BREBCH LOADING GUN.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22. 1905.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

N 1 f g 1 w YE 1 Q v w Witneooeo 1 W- osira smrns PATENT OFFIC ANDREW. H. RUSSELL, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

" BsEEc -LoAome GUN.

Ito-816,60."

Specification of Letterslatent.

Patented April 3,1906.

mummified June 22, 1905. Serial Ni). 266,472.

To all whom it .may concern:- Be it known that I, ANDREW H. RUssELII,

of the United States Army, a citizen-of the? United States, stationed at Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Breech-Loading Guns, of which the following is a specification. a

This. invention relates to breech-loading guns.

The object ofthe-invention is to produce a breech-loading gun of a bolt or similar type in which the handle-pull shall be nearly in a straight line, but the olt shall be locked by a partialretation on its axis impelled by the andle movement; and the invention consists in certain constructions and combinations of parts, as will be explained, whereby the above-stated result is accomplished and whereby a gun of any caliber is adapted for rapid and convenient use either as a singleloader or preferably as a magazine-gun.

Figure 1 is a top plan of so much of a magazine-gun of the 'bolt type as will illustrate the princi les of my invention, the bolt being closed. ig. 2is a side elevation of the same mechanism, the bolt being open. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the bolt closed and parts broken away to exhibit the boltlock. Fig. 4- is a cross-section on line 4 4,

Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a broken cross-section on line 5 5, Fig. 3, showin' cartridge-clip. The direction of view in eac section is indicated by arrows, Fig. 3. Fig. 6is a broken top plan of. so much of the bolt-housing as illustrates the principles of the non-obstructible gearing. Fig. 7 is a top plan of bolt, handle, and

connections detached. Fig. 8 is abottom plan view of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a bottom lan view of handle detached. Fig. 10 is a ottom plan of handle with non-obstructible gearing. Fig. 11 is a front end view of bolt and handle. Fig. 12 is an end View of sleeve and handle-pivot from rear. Fig. 13 is a broken view ofrear part of sleeve and pivot. Fig. 14 is a side elevation of cartridge-clip. Fig. 15 is a vertical section through the receiver, showing trigger engagement with hammer or striker. Fig. 16 is a broken side View of that part ofthe gun needed to show the handle-lock and safety device. Fig. 17 is across-section on -line 17 18, Fig. 15, showing bolt in one position; and Fig. 18 is a section on the sameline,showing the bolt in another position.

- adapted for the urpose.

The stock shownis indicated at 1. This and the barrel 2 may be of any construction The receiver, shoe,

or frame 3 may e of form suitable for the reception-of the bolt or breech-piece. The

frame 3 has a recess .4 just in the rear of the barrel, into which recess the lugs on the boltfront enter and in which they turn to lock the bolt against recoil, after the manner of the well-known bayonet-fastening and as is well known in'bolt-guns. Shoulders 5 in the frame, behind the locking-lugs on the bolt, serve to hold the bolt against recoil, and longitudinal slots 6 allow the lugs 11 to pass forward and back when unlocked and to prevent the bolt from turning during this movement. As this bolt-lock is preferably at the front of the bolt and just in rear of the cartridge, the boltdoes not yield 'by its own clas ticity, as would a rear locking-bolt. The bolt 10 is generally cylindrical in form and is provided at its front end with locking-lugs 11, which lugs enter the recesses 4 when the bolt closes and look behind the shoulders 5 when-the bolt turns on its axis. The extractor 12 is of well-known construction and is held to the bolt inusual manner.

The parts described as not. of my invention are merely typical and others might be I substituted. i

The bolt illustrated'is hollow, as usual, to contain the firing pin and sprin The firingpin and its head 13 constitute t e hammer for exploding the cartridges. The sleeve 31 is.

non-rotating, as usual. Near the rearend of the bolt there is a rigid pintle 15 pro ecting from the side of a rotating part of the bolt.. On this pintle an irregular segmental gearing 16 is pivoted. A hand-lever 17 is rigid with the caring 16 and a handle 18 is rigid with said andle-lever. At the rear of the receiver there is a housing 20, throu h which the bolt passes. At the rear of this ousing there is a curved rack or gear 21, with the teeth of which the teeth of the segment-gear 16 engage to rotate the bolt proper.

The segmentear 16 has a notch 19, which, as shown, is'at t e same side of the segmentgear 16 as is the lever 17. The teeth of the segment-gear 16 engage with the rack-teeth of gear 21 when the bolt' is closed. When the bolt is in locked position, Figs. 1 and 3, the lower tooth of segment-gear 16 is in engagement with the lower tooth of rack 21.

no v

In this position a rearward pull on the handle cause the segment-gear 16 to turn and ride up the rack 21, the teethnengegin suceessively, thus turning the bolt on its axis, the gear turning on pintle The handlever 17 is thus given a peculier compound movement, which is substantially to the rearwei d, but upward well. A poll directly to the rear on handle 18 causes the lever 17 to partake of this compound movement. The to turning of the bolt on its ziXis'eeni-s back the l ner l3 by means of en interposed nonrotetiug sleeve 31, as is common. The boltis itself drawn back slightly as the segmentrides n rush by the engagement 1' of pintle 15 on the bolt with the incline at the rear of housing his gives the bolt 11 powerful backward impulse to start thehertridge as well as to cook theheinmer. Of course the form of lockin -shoulders 5, or zo' xi'ha tever locking means is used, maybe such as to permit this backward impulse of the bolt. he lever i713 prefereb integral with segment 15 end has lu 34 which. swin s against the side of hammer-nose in the opening movement described when the bolt has rotated so far as to be unlocked. The hammer is held from turning with the bolt by engagement; with the receiver or with 30 some nonturning part of the bolt.

.iifi hammer at this time been eemmed heck slightly beyond its ooeked position by the movement of the lever through the agency the cam on the lever hearing against 5 the non-rotating sleeve 81 oi the bolt. By. the actionof the firing-spring the hammer is pressed forward so its nose enters notch 19 in the segment-gear 1-6 es soon as com 90 has moved far enou h to permit this 40 movement. The nose of tne heznmer also 311'66153. notch in the rear of the bolt. When the hammer or strikes isin this position, the lever 17 cannot be sidewise in eitherdireetion, it is held by the ham- H161, and. the hammer cannot turn on the bolt ressonof the engagement just described.

i ne eontinuetion of the backward pull of the hiindle carries the lever and bolt to open position, Fig. The swinging movement of 5cthe handle-levermerges into the longitu iinel movement so gradually that the moven'ient of the h d sell nous, sin-fl a. backward pill on the lend volunterily resolves itse f into the swin ing end then ht oeol wsrd movement s nrset 5 I x g I ed to unis-cit and open toe no t 16 mo ng ii. iii sway troi'n the bolt moves has bolt 1 r housing es v is verd mot einent of the t or and e 311,13. fora" firingother a oer. iiifflOSlil applied t sition shown in Fig. 2 The lever 17' is held in its rigid relation with the bolt until the bolt is nearly closed, as above stated. At such time the hammer is caughtby the trigger or seer, as usual with guns of this generiil character, and held back, releasing its nose from notoii tl of the bolt and allowing the handle to turn... The segment 16 has then been brought again into engagement with rock 21 end the hendleswings forward and downwardly, reversing the rotary movement of the bolt by means of the engagement of segment 16 with rock 21. he same rotary movement locks the bolt. The turning of the bolt in closing may be a cam movement,

which forces the certrid e home in its chem. her, as is common. 1 nen the handle-lever has moved to such position that the bolt is fully looked, a projection 37 on the handle strikes an abutmentBS on the gun-stock end the parts are in compact relation, preventing an outward movement of the handle due to any blow. The initial opening movement of the handle must be guided by abutment 38.

A cu ved guide 74: preferably projects up from the frame at the right side in rear of the housing 20 and in rear of the pintle 15 when the bolt is in its closed position, as in Fig. 3. The object of this guide 74 is to serve as a hearing for the projection 34 from the segment l6 just before the change from rectilinear to rotery movement of the bolt, and vice verse, and at a time when t is lever and segment are not rigidly held by the hammer. Guide 74 is more particularly advantageous in closing the boltto prevent any accidental slip, lost motion, or indin of the gear-teeth. This guide is not absolute y essential.

in order that the gun may be carried in safety position and the firing may be thoroughly controllable, I provide means for stopping, holding, and releasing the bolt and bolt--hendle. 'An example of-such mechen ism is illustrated more perticulerly in Figs. 2, 3-, l5, and 16.

A spring-lever 191 at the side of the stock has a projection 102 which lies a little in front the position of the hand-lever 17 when the'bolt is closed. V /hen hand-lever 1. in the bolt-closing movement strikes this projection 102, the looking movement is stopped. At this instant the trigger 103 is the position shown in Fig. 35. This trig- 103 is pivoted in a triggenloer 104, which is pivoted in the receiver. The front end of bar 104 is normally pressed down and the rear pressed upward by spring 165. The seer 166 on the rear of the trigger-her engages the hammer .10 hold it cocked, as lg. 15. The trigger her step 107 must move upward in order that the seer 10-5 may downward. Bolt 16 hes a notch or roove H0 in hotly, which notch comes .e end when 1 the bolt is 'uii v elos i When noquite closed, es in Fig. 17, the stop 107 cannot rise, and consequently the sear 106 release the hammer. Consequently a. pull on the tri ger is ineffective to fire the gun when the bolt isstopped in the position of Fig. 17, which stoppage results from the engagement of the handle-lever with projection 102. Thus the bolt may be nearly closed and readily opened when 101 is in position to project the part 102. A turn-button or catch 112 on lever 101 serves to hold said lever in depressed position when turned as in Fig. 2. Then the lever-handle will ride over projection 102 without obstruction and the bolt can be closed and the trigger effectively pulled to fire the gun. (See Fig. 3.)

, A catch 115 is pivoted to the side of the stock, as illustratedfand this catch can be swung out so as to hold up the lever 101 andlock the handle-lever securely between the projection 102 and this catch 115 when it is desirablethat the gun shall neither be fired nor the breech openedas, for instance, while the gun is used durin drill.

The segment-gear 16 am the rack 21 are so calculated with relation to each other that the teeth are in smooth working relation in all positions. In most of the figures of drawings the teeth of segment 16 are shown as projecting from a hub or lever 17. This is not, however, the preferred form of construction. In Fig. 10 the teeth 61 are shown as projecting from a fan-shaped extension 62 of the end'of lever 17. This covers the outer face of the segment-gear and leaves a space around each tooth 61 through which dust, grit, &c., may escape. Such a gearing I call non-obstructible. In like manner the teeth of 'rack 21 may be made with spaces entirely around them, as shown at 66, Fig. 6. e principle of operation is the same, but in the modification last described there is a better provision for the escape of dirt from the gears.

The lockin -lugs 11 and ,the abutments with which t ey engage are shown "at the front end of the bolt, this being considered the best form of breech formature. It is, however, apparent that the locking movement might be farther bac,k on the bolt, as is common. The handle is shown on the right-hand side of the gun, this bein the most convenient position for a right landed man. The principles may be applied in other localities. As shown in Figs. 1', 2, 3, 5, and 16, the rib or shoulder 'at the front of housing 20 is on a curve of less diameter than is said housing.

It is also lower than shoulder 71 on the left side of the frame.

The clip designed for use withthis gun is shown in Figs. 5 and 14 and is well known in this art. li'hen the soldier, acting in haste or in the dark, desires to apply a new clip or cannot move down to' the spring lever 1 package of cartridges to his l the rear face ofthe clip against fil ie front face I of hou si 20 at any place near shoulder 70, and by t e sense of feeling he can easily guide the'elip along said housing and over said shoul er 7 0, and in so moving to the left the cli will be stopped by shoulder 71, when it can e easily moved down to its seat in the receiver, the ears on being stopped in the vertical notches in s oulders 70 71. Such notches and ears are common in the well-known Mauser gun. f

I have shown my invention as applied to the well-known Mauser gun; but it should be understood that it is applicable to very many bolt and magazine uns of differentconstruction. With very little alteration of parts such ns can be changed into whatbecomes practically straight-pull bolt-guns. An advantage is that a much more rapid movement in openinghnd closing the breech may be attained. The operator has a vastly-increased leverage in starting the cartridge or 82. While the gear-teeth are in engagement the handlecannot swing far enough to brin thefin or spline 91 opposite the longitudinal part 81 of the slot in the pintle.

sp ine 91 of the circumferential part of the slot strained movement of a side-turning lockinggreat number of The bolt, with its handle, can be removed from the which is t When the segment-gear 16 is free from the ears on the housing, as when the bolt is drawn back, the hammer 35 may be drawn back by hand to release its nose from notch- 19. The handle can then be turned around until spline 91 is opposite-straight slot 81, when the handle can be removed from the pintle.

What I claim is 1. In a breech-loading gun, a bolt and means for locking the same by a partial rotation, a pivot carried by said bolt and extending in a line transverse to the axis of the bolt, a handle-lever turning on said pivot and provided with a segment-gear, and a gear on the frame with which said segment engages to rotate the bolt.

2. In a breech-loading gun, a bolt having a n by throwing back catch 95, bolt-catch of the Mauser gun.

' rotating locking portion and a non-rotating portion, a handle-lever connected to the rotating portion by a pivot extending in transverse direction, a segment-gear rigid with the handle-lever, and gear -teeth on the frame with which said segment engages to rotate the bolt.

3. In a bolt-gun, the bolt provided with locking-lugs at its front end, a frame with which said lugs engage to hold thebolt against recoil, a hand eon the bolt having gear teeth,

and the frame having ear-teeth with which said teeth on thehand e enga e, for turning the bolt an" locking and unlocl ring-thesame. A. The combination, in a bolt-gun, of a frame having recoil resisting' abutment-s, a bolt having rigid lugs which en age saidabutments to lock the bolt, a pinfie on the 'bolt extending laterallyv and-having a segment-- gear and a handle connected-thereto, and a ear onthe frame with which said segment Engages to lock or unlock the bolt.

5. Ina bolt-gun, the combination of a bolt havingrigid lugs projecting radially near its front end, a framehavingrecesses to receive said lu s and abutments against which the lugs hold in resisting recoil, a segment-gear I pivoted to the bolt and actuated by a handle ri id with the ear and a eared housin on the frame with which said segment engages to retate' the bolt.

16. In a boltgun, the combination of a frame provided with recesses and recoil-taking abutments near the'breech of the barrel,

a bolt having rigid. lugs near its front erid to engage said abutments, a rigid pintleextending laterally near therear of the bolt, a segment'gear pivoted on said pintle and having a rigid handle, and a housing on the frame having teeth with which the segment-teeth en age torotate the bolt in looking and unloc ring.

7 In a boltgun, the combination with the bolt having a radial pintle, of a handle-lever pivoted to said pintle and a segment-gear moving with the handle, a housing on the frame with which said gear engages to rotate the bolt, and a stop-piece to limit the rotary movement of said handle in unlocking the bolt.

8. In a bolt-gun, the combination of a bolt having locking-lugs, a frame with which said lu s engage, a handle-lever connected to the be t and engaging the frame by a gear to rotate the bolt, and means for holding the hanthe bolt, of a stop on the handle and gun to merit, V V

.13. In,a bolt-gun, the combination with a turning part of thebolt, of a laterally-extending pintle thereon, a handle havingsegment-gear earried by said pintle, means-for bolt during the longitudinal movement of the bolt, and a tooth gear on the frame with which said gear engages to turn the bolt.

14. In combination with the turning bolt,

cumferential slot, and a handle adapted to engage the frame in looking or unlocking the bolt having a fin which enters said slot and permits a-p artial rotation of the handle around the pintle without permitting the removal while the fin is in the circumferential portion of the slot.

15. In a bolt-gun, the bolt having a side pintle slotted longitudinally and in a circumferential direction, the handle surrounding said pintle and having'a fin to enter said slot.

. and means to hold the handle against movement around said pintle topermit the -escape of the fin from the longitudinalslot.

16. In a bolt 1111, the combination with a rotating bolt an means for turning the same on its axis, of a movable stop automatically operating to obstruct the final closing movement of the bolt.

17. In a boltun, the combination with a rotating bolt an means for turning.,the same in its closing movement, of a movable stop automatically operatingto obstruct the final closing movement of the bolt, and means for moving this stop out of working position.

18. In a bo1t-gun, the combination with a rotating breech bolt, of a movable stop adapted to be setto allow of the opening of the breech, and automatically operating to obstruct the firing of the gun.

19. In a bolt-gun, the combination with a rotating breech-bolt and means for locking the same, of a movable stop ada ted to be set to permit the opening 0 the I matic means by which the stop obstructs the closing of the bolt, and means by wh ch this stop may be held inoperative.

20. The combination with the bolt-closing mechanism of a bolt -gun, of a stop autoholding the handle in fixed relation to the olt, 'autp-r in turning the bolt during the closing move 80 t I a pintle thereon having a longitudinal and cir- 'ing over the bolt and provided 'tacle by said ri Inatieally moved into position to obstruct the final bolt turning and closing movement, and means for rendering said stop inert.

21. In a bolt-gun, the frame having a hous- With a rib facing toward the barrel, a shoulder at one' side ofthe receiver in front of and below said rib, ashoulder at the '0 posite side of the receiver rojecting above te first, and a receptacle or the cartridge-clip between said shoulders, whereby the cli may be guided to its recepand stopped bythe higher shoulder, Wh'enthe bolt is retracted.

A 22. In a bolt-gun, the frame having a housing War low over the bolt and havinge rib faoin to- 15' d the barrel, shoulders in front of an besaid rib, one of said shoulders being higher than the other, there being a recess for the loaded cartridge-clip between said shoulders,

and

notches in the shoulders to receive the 20 edges of the clip in front of the retracted bolt.

In testimony whereof I ai'iix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ANDREW H. RUSSELL.

Witnesses T. L. AMES, .0. B. WHEELER. 

